Hammond, Schmidt Provide U-M Saturday Split vs. Illini

Saturday, May 6

Champaign, Ill.

2:05 PM CT

Michigan

28-16, 15-7

Illinois

25-20, 11-11

Michigan

Illinois

Hammond, Schmidt Provide U-M Saturday Split vs. Illini

5/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Site: Champaign, Ill. (Illinois Field)
Scores: Michigan 1, Illinois 0; Illinois 7, Michigan 4
Records: U-M (28-17, 15-8 Big Ten), Illinois (27-20, 12-11 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 7 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 1:05 p.m. CDT

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fifth-year senior co-captain LHP Paul Hammond (Mason, Ohio/Mason) pitched a complete-game shutout and senior LF Mike Schmidt (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage) hit a game-winning homer as the University of Michigan baseball team defeated Illinois 1-0 in the first game of Saturday's (May 6) Big Ten doubleheader at Illinois Field.

The host Illini (26-20, 12-11 Big Ten) used a six-run fifth inning rally for a 7-4 comeback win in the nightcap to gain the split over the Wolverines (28-17, 15-8). Michigan remains tied for first place heading into Sunday's (May 7) series finale as Northwestern also split two games on Saturday. Ohio State also gained a share of first with a doubleheader sweep at Michigan State on Saturday.

Hammond allowed six hits and fanned seven, one shy of his career best, while pitching his fourth complete game of the season. He (5-3) dropped his earned run average to 2.96 for the season in 11 outings while moving his Big Ten record to 4-1 and his conference ERA to 1.96.

The shutout was the first of Hammond's career and it came in his sixth career complete game. He has allowed just three earned runs in his last 37 Big Ten innings (0.73 ERA clip) since allowing five runs to Northwestern in the first inning on April 1.

The veteran Schmidt hit his team-leading ninth homer of the season for Michigan's first hit of the opener against Illinois freshman RHP Ben Reeser (3-3). It was Schmidt's second "game-winning" homer in two weeks after snapping the 2-2 at MSU in a 6-2 Hammond win last Saturday (April 29).

With one out in the fourth inning of the opener the Wolverines had back-to-back singles from fifth-year senior catcher Jeff Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) and sophomore 1B Nate Recknagel (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion), but sophomore RF Derek VanBuskirk (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair) grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Illinois put two runners on in the fourth inning on singles by 1B Dave Schultz and 3B Mike Rohde, but Hammond responded by striking out catcher Lars Davis for his fifth K of the day.

Schmidt, batting for only the second time in the game, led off the sixth with a single and he moved to second on a sacrifice by CF Eric Rose (Blissfield, Mich./Blissfield). Schmidt moved to third as SS Leif Mahler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) grounded out. Kunkel drew a walk, but Recknagel grounded into a force play to end the inning.

VanBuskirk doubled to lead off the seventh, but after he moved to third on a sac bunt by sophomore RF Doug Pickens (West Bloomfield, Mich./Brother Rice) he was thrown out at the plate on a fielder's choice grounder to third by freshman DH Adam Abraham (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./South HS).

Hammond retired seven straight before Illinois 2B Ryan Hastings singled with two outs in the seventh, but Hammond retired LF Joe Bonadonna on a grounder to Mahler at short to end the game. Hammond added his seventh strikeout in the seventh to give him a team-leading 46 K's for the season.

The second game pitching matchup included Illinois freshman RHP Tanner Roark vs. Michigan's sophomore/freshman RHP Chris Fetter (Carmel, Ind./Carmel).

DH Recknagel doubled with two outs in the first inning to extend his hit streak to 11 games, but Kunkel grounded up the middle and the pitcher Roark snagged it and made a 1-3 putout.

The Wolverines reached the scoreboard in the second inning off Roark (3-0) as senior 3B A.J. Scheidt (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser) was hit by a pitch and reached second with a stolen second base. VanBuskirk walked and both runners scored as Pickens doubled to left-center, making the score 2-0. Freshman 2B Kevin Cislo (Novi, Mich./Novi) walked and Rose singled to left to drive in Pickens for a 3-0 lead.

Pickens reached first on a throwing error by SS Roof to open the fourth and moved to second on a wild pitch. Cislo, showing bunt, worked the count to 3-2 before getting called out on strikes. Rose singled to left, but Pickens had to make sure the ball went through before he advanced to third base. Mahler put down a bunt and pitcher Roark threw Pickens out at the plate. Recknagel walked to load the bases but Kunkel grounded out to second to end the inning.

Illinois 3B Rohde took advantage of the momentum created by the defense as he drilled a double to open the bottom of the fourth. He moved to third on a flyout, and when Hastings hit a fly to Rose in center for the second out Rose fired the ball quickly, holding the runner at third. However, the throw sailed over the head of catcher Kunkel directly to pitcher Fetter backing up the play. When Fetter dropped the ball it was ruled an error and Rohde scrambled home for the first Illinois run of the doubleheader.

Illinois scored six times in the bottom of the fifth inning as DH Trevor Huisinga singled and stole second base. CF Kyle Hudson singled just under Fetter's glove to make the score 3-2 and then he moved up with a stolen second base. RF Ryan Snowden singled to tie the game at 3-3 to chase starting pitcher Fetter (3-1).

Senior RHP Craig Murray (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) entered the game with no outs and the go-ahead run on base. After a throwing error put the runner on second, shortstop Shawn Roof hit a soft liner that 1B VanBuskirk caught and he fired the ball to shortstop Mahler for an apparent double play, but a balk had been called which advanced Snowden to third and he later scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Schultz. Later in the inning catcher Lars Davis hit a two-run double and Hastings singled in the sixth run of the inning to make the score 7-3.

The Wolverines started a two-out rally in the top of the sixth and had the tying run at the plate as Rose singled, his third hit of the second game, Mahler walked and Recknagel singled to drive in Rose for the final 7-4 margin. Kunkel grounded out to first to end the inning.

Rose and Recknagel each had three hits in the doubleheader to account for six of U-M's 11 hits on Saturday. Recknagel leads the team with five hits in the first three games of the series.

The Wolverines close out the series at Illinois on Sunday (May 7, 1 p.m. CDT) with junior RHP Andrew Hess (Kalamazoo, Mich./Central) listed as the probable starter with his 2-1 record and a 4.98 ERA.

N O T E S

In Big Ten action on Saturday Michigan and Northwestern both split to remain tied for first place, with Michigan winning the first game at Illinois 1-0 and the Illini taking the second game, 7-4. NU and Minnesota split a pair of 1-0 games with the host Wildcats winning the opener. Ohio State swept Michigan State, 12-3 and 6-4, to pull into a three-way tie for first. Iowa swept Indiana 4-3 and 6-0 to move from last to seventh on the weekend with three wins so far at IU. Purdue beat Penn State 6-5 in a single game in the series that runs through Monday (May 8).

Big Ten Standings (Through 5/6/06)

 1. MICHIGAN 15-8 .652 Northwestern 15-8 .652 Ohio State 15-8 .652 4. Illinois 12-11 .522 5. Minnesota 11-12 .478 6. Purdue 10-11 .476 7. Iowa 10-13 .435 8. Penn State 9-12 .429 9. Michign State 9-14 .391 10. Indiana 7-16 .304

Fifth-year senior Ali Husain (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti) made his 11th appearance of the season and the 72nd of his career to record the final out of the fifth inning of the second game, getting a 4-3 groundout from the only batter he faced. Husain ranks fifth on U-M's all-time pitching appearance list, one behind Greg Everson (73 appearances, 1985-87) in fourth.

Sophomore 1B Nate Recknagel extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his fourth-inning single in the opener and first-inning double in the nightcap. Shortstop Leif Mahler had his hit streak snapped at six games in the opener as he grounded to short three times.

Michigan's leading hitters after 45 games are: CF Eric Rose (51-for-139, .367), 1B/C/DH Nate Recknagel (54-for-148, .365), C Jeff Kunkel (56-for-157, .357), SS Leif Mahler (51-for-144, 354) and 2B/OF Doug Pickens (48-for-162, .296).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423